Port Orchard man gets 45-day sentence for animal cruelty

PORT ORCHARD - Daniel Joseph Heidt, 25, of Port Orchard, is serving a sentence of 45 days in the Kitsap County jail after he pleaded guilty to first degree animal cruelty for punching an elderly dog that had arthritis.

A vet who treated the 13-year-old animal before it was euthanized said bruising on her side and a collapsed lung were likely caused by "blunt trauma," according to charging documents filed Nov. 14 in Kitsap County Superior Court.

The documents cite testimony from witnesses who observed Heidt's behavior while he was caring for the dog in June. The dog's owner told the Port Orchard Police Department that Heidt was watching her dog until she found it a home, because she had moved to a place that didn't allow animals.

One witness said he saw Heidt repeatedly punch the dog on the side of the body and forcefully hold her down for panting. The dog's panting bothered Heidt, because he wanted to sleep, the witness told police. The alleged assault occurred two or three days before the dog collapsed on June 30.

The vet told police that the dog had bruising on the left and right side of her thorax or chest. The dog's heart was "misplaced," disengaged from the sternum or breastbone, the vet said. The vet said that "for the heart to have been in its current location required the dog to have been punched and/or thrown really hard," according to court documents.

Another witness said he had seen Heidt roughly push the dog's rear down on a number of occasions. The witness said Heidt was unhappy that the dog had "bathroom accidents" in the house and on more than one occasion said he wanted to kill her.

Heidt pleaded guilty and was sentenced on Monday. He must pay restitution to the owner and is not allowed to live in a home with animals.